Hi,
I'm Stephanie Nash,
A mindfulness expert,
And let's face it,
None of us have enough time to do all that we need to do.
Or maybe we're taking on too much,
Or are in exceptionally challenging circumstances where we have no choice and not enough help,
If any.
Whatever your situation,
If you're listening to this right now,
The question is,
How can you get the benefits of a mindfulness practice without sacrificing huge chunks of your day sitting in formal practice with your eyes closed,
Or having to go to a monastery or extended retreat when you simply cannot take that time off,
At least not right now?
Well,
My answer to that question is twofold.
First,
We find out how to make the activities you are already doing into a meditation,
Meaning that you develop the skills of focus,
Equanimity,
And clarity that you would get from a seated formal meditation practice while you are doing your activities.
So things like driving,
Walking,
Gardening,
Exercising,
Washing dishes,
And doing laundry can all,
With some attention modifications,
Become meditation practices.
Then the activities still get done,
But you become richer for doing them.
You grow and evolve as a human being with skills that help you be more present,
Suffer less,
Be less emotionally reactive,
And enjoy your life more.
The second part of my answer involves,
Yes,
Creating some space in your schedule,
But not for extended practice,
Just little moments,
Pauses,
Check-ins from 10 seconds to maybe a few minutes that can immediately reduce pressure and calm your nervous system or tune you into the present moment in a way that can become wildly satisfying and make you more productive.
So that's my mindfulness for busy people strategy in general.
And for specific techniques and instructions,
Please check out my workshop of the same name or contact me for a personalized program that can address your specific needs,
Goals,
Challenges,
And take advantage of your natural abilities and interests.
So let me give you a taste of this.
This is one quick tip I'm going to share with you now.
Right now,
In this moment,
Feel your feet,
Both of them.
Close your eyes to feel them more.
Maybe wiggle your toes.
Feel your feet connect with the earth,
The floor,
Whether or not you have shoes on.
Feel the weight of your body on your feet.
Feel that contact,
That grounding contact of the feet connecting to the world below you,
Connecting to the ground.
Good.
Now,
Expand your attention and feel the whole body,
Two arms,
Two legs,
Torso,
Head,
Neck,
Head.
Let your attention expand to the outer boundaries of this body space,
Out to your skin to the furthest you can feel in any direction,
Very expanded focus.
Hold all of body space.
There are a lot of sensations in the body.
For now,
Just hold the whole body.
And whenever we expand our attention to hold more,
What's in the center usually becomes lighter,
Softer,
Maybe vibratory,
Maybe fluid.
See what it's like for you,
But keep expanding your focus to the outer boundaries of your body space with about 10 to 30% of your awareness,
Noticing what's happening in the body,
Stretching out holding this whole body space for 15 to 30 seconds.
Good.
Now,
Keep holding all of that body space,
Especially from the outer boundaries as you slowly open your eyes.
Notice how that affects what comes next.
Realizing expanding your focus can be a handy tool as you navigate all the things in your day that want to draw your attention to a contractive point.
Shifting from expansive to contractive focus leads to an agility of mind.
This exercise also helps you feel more present and embodied.
My goal is that everyone benefits from mindfulness in the way that works for them at this time.
And if you're busy,
I hope to offer helpful,
Empowering strategies like the quick tip I just shared that reduce stress,
Contribute to productivity,
And increase your enjoyment and appreciation of your moment-to-moment experience.
Stay tuned for more quick tips for busy people.
